title: Quantitative comparisons of mammalian lung pressure volume curves.
abstract: The deflation pressure-volume curves of the lungs of a wide range of mammalian species were studied to compare their mechanical properties. A monoexponential mathematical function of the form V = Vmax - (Vmax - Vo)e - kp was fitted to the deflation data. It was found that the bulk stiffness index k (approximately 0.12 cm H2O-1) varied little over the 10(5) fold range of animal body weight. This range of k was far smaller than found in man in the presence of pulmonary parenchymal disease. It was concluded that the intrinsic stiffness characteristics of most mammalian lungs are similar.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D004285:Dogs; D006041:Goats / Q000502:physiology; D000882:Haplorhini / Q000502:physiology; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008170:Lung Compliance; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008433:Mathematics; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000502:physiology; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D014907:Whales / Q000502:physiology